Gratitude: The Peacemakers

Vietnam Veterans (one in a wheelchair) protest the war.

On this Veterans Day, I am grateful for:

Every person who has ever protested any war, who has attempted to bring our military personnel home in one piece, who has fought against our tendency to go to war when problems could be solved by simple diplomacy.

An old friend of mine was a member of Army Intelligence in Vietnam, stationed with Montagnard Tribesmen in Cambodia for some time. He became a character out of Heart of Darkness, an almost wild thing. Upon returning to the U.S. (he was a captain), he was released from service and from that point, he began looking at Vietnam with a different eye. He determined it was wrong for us to be there. He began to object publicly and during one especially large protest in Washington, he and the veteran in the wheelchair he was pushing, were beaten senseless. He later said to me, "This is the real war; these are the real heroes."

Those opposed to war have often risked their freedom and their lives in order to protect our fighting people from harm and they have often been jailed and been termed "traitors" because of their efforts. I believe them to be courageous and dedicated, "heroes" in the vernacular and I celebrate their efforts. War is not the answer.